In January 2011, the Freestore Foodbank and Children’s Pediatric Primary Care Clinic launched Keeping Infants Nourished and Developing – also known as the KIND program.

Through the program, the pediatric resident at Children’s Pediatric Primary Care Clinic asks a series of questions that identify food insecurity. From there, doctors can provide baby formula to food insecure families, as well as connect them with nutritionists and social workers to help with long-term needs. Funding for KIND is provided by the P&G’s Live, Learn and Thrive initiative.

The program is in response to alarming data coming out of the Children’s Pediatric Primary Care Clinic. Some 30% of infants seen at the clinic lived in food insecure households and 15% of moms were stretching formula by diluting it or feeding their baby less. Some 41% of mothers bringing their children to the clinic told clinicians that the food they bought simply did not last.

Diluting formula deprives babies of the nutrition they need, and the KIND program is targeting this practice. Goals are to drastically reduce the number of people who dilute formula, as well as replicate the program at other neighborhood clinics.